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Linda White
Linda White

Chamber Gala 2018: Linda White named Town of Porter Citizen of the Year

Sat, Mar 10th 2018 07:00 am
By Jennifer Pauly
President
Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce
Linda White was chosen by Supervisor J. Duffy Johnston and the Porter Town Board as the 2018 Town of Porter Citizen of the Year. White has dedicated her time and effort in developing projects to enhance the quality of life for residents in the Town of Porter for decades as a librarian and volunteer in the community.
Linda and her husband, Larry, have been married for 56 years this coming May. The past 16 years have been spent on a quiet street on the shoreline of Lake Ontario, just steps away from Porter on the Lake Park. The Ransomville Free Library was not far from their home on Porter Center Road where Linda and Larry renovated an old schoolhouse to raise their family on the land Larry grew up on.
Volunteering at the library resulted in a position as the librarian from 1978-88. During that time, many grants were pursued to expand the library. From January 2011 through 2015, White served as a trustee for the Village of Youngstown Library. While her children were growing up, she volunteered at the Aquarium of Niagara, helping with its fundraising efforts. White also worked as an administrative professional for 12 years with the Maid of the Mist.
White became involved in starting a fundraiser for Porter on the Lake Park, a hidden gem off Route 18 on the shore of Lake Ontario. Linda and Larry, along with Gloria and Jeff Baker, created a fundraiser for the park, "Summerfest," in 2008, with a goal of raising funds for park improvements.
White said she recalled when the park was an overgrown area of poison ivy, bees and weeds. A lot of work and planning went into creating an area the public could utilize. The Porter on the Lake Summerfest committee worked to raise funds to help with updates and publicize the park. White helped create a brochure to encourage use of the park for weddings, corporate events, festivals and races. The ground are now booked regularly during the summer months.
White also volunteers as a Town of Porter Recreation commissioner, helping create programs for all ages.
As a homeowner on Lake Ontario, Linda and Larry's property and neighbors have directly seen an impact from water levels. More than 25 feet of land has eroded into the lake on their Sunrise Lane property. White helped organize a waterfront property owners meeting in March of 2017 to provide information to property owners via invited speakers. The goal was to stay up to date on issues that directly affected the Lake Ontario shoreline. The meetings have continued and will be held once a month at the Ransomville Fire Hall for Town of Porter residents. Close to 300 people have been in attendance at times, with elected leaders on hand to help answer questions and facilitate ways to be proactive.
Linda and Larry enjoy living on Lake Ontario in the Town of Porter. The serenity of living on the lake is similar to the community - a peaceful and positive place. White said she loves the Town of Porter and the people, as she can always find someone who is willing to volunteer and help out. She truly enjoys getting people together to help make the community a better place to live.
The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce, Supervisor J. Duffy Johnston and the Town of Porter Town Board are proud to honor Linda White, the 2018 Town of Porter Citizen of the Year.
Awards will be presented to those contributing to the success of the local area when the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce holds its annual awards gala on Thursday, April 19, at the Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston.
The event begins with a cocktail hour and hors d'oeuvres, followed by a sit-down dinner and awards program. A silent auction will take place throughout the evening.
Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available through the chamber office by calling 716-754-9500.

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